SuitSat

I absolutely love the little code that allows playing of mp3 files on WordPress. I sometimes try to find interesting sounds to use in music or whatever and its sort of developed into a little “collection”. Because, seriously, you never know when you’re going to need the sound of a good moo, a low flying flock of geese, a Bullfrog Symphony or a clip of Hal talking to Dave.

I could not resist the idea of having a copy of the first ever transmission from such a vessel and from such a place. Mind you the sound is very low quality, with, as you might expect, a lot of static and other weird noises. (apparently those running the project were a little disappointed in the lack of signal strength) Actually, the other sounds are kind of cool, some sort of interference caused by radiation waves, maybe? I’m not sure.

There was talk of SuitSat 2 a couple of years ago and I am not sure yet if it ever happened.

So here are the audio files I found (here is the site they came from, I think) along with a few cool photographs, brief excerpts and links to the appropriate sites.

SuitSat-1 transmitted its voice message — “This is SuitSat-1 RS0RS!” — in several languages plus telemetry and an SSTV image on an eight-minute cycle as it orbited Earth. The unusual spacecraft’s radio signal was heard around the globe, although only the best-equipped Earth stations could copy it.

Worldwide locations where the Ham radio operators were able to track the signal.

The SuitSat.org Web site attracted nearly 10 million hits during the mission. Designated by AMSAT as AO-54, SuitSat-1 remained in operation for more than two weeks, easily outlasting initial predictions that it would transmit for about a week. SuitSat-1 re-entered and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere September 7.